Here at St. Norbert we’re all about the 2,000 year-old conversation between faith and reason that constitutes the Catholic intellectual tradition. This week’s seminar on the topic focused on “Four Loves,” as identified by C.S. Lewis at least.
Here is a smattering of what I learned from our four panelists:
- AFFECTION: “Pietas” does not translate as piety. As parsed by Father Andrew Ciferni ’64 (Center for Norbertine Studies) we should understand it more as “radical hospitality” or “civility,” interpreted broadly. How Norbertine is that!
- FRIENDSHIP: Another person can help us tell our story in a different way – Paul Wadell (Religious Studies)
- EROS: The love that develop between two people who yearn for union is meant to overflow and be of benefit to the whole world. – Bridget Burke Ravizza (Religious Studies).
- CHARITY: We can really only love God as much as we love the person we love the least. – Julie Massey ’87 (Campus Ministry), quoting Dorothy Day.
In summary: Any love, done right, enlarges the world. Abbot Pennings was right! Our founder chose as his motto the text from Hebrews, “Let us love one another.”
